The Tribune

A Grand Bahama-based funeral services provider has obtained $186,000 in debt financing from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) by working with the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC).

Le Pavillion, a cemetery and mausoleum service, is owned by Grand Bahama native, Nicole Johnson. With a motto that says “we care for your loved one like our own”, Le Pavillion offers internment plots, mausoleum niches, hearse and luxury SUV rental services, headstone creation, graphic services and counselling.

Ms Johnson said: “I am an event planner by heart, and always found myself planning events and usually funerals.” Disappointed by some of the cemeteries on Grand Bahama, she decided to offer residents an alternative and sought the Small Business Development Centre’s assistance after learning about it on the news.

“I joined the SBDC with a desire to make a difference, and the idea to create wealth for myself and family was impressed upon me,” Ms Johnson said. “I had dreams but did not have the funding, especially for a massive project like this.

“I had a wonderful experience working with the SBDC. Kudos goes out to my wonderful advisor, Shamine Johnson. She and Mrs Grant were my strongest advocates. Shamine, in particular, kept on encouraging me, texting me and advising even immediately after the storm when she was facing her own challenges.

“I can’t say enough about her tenacity and willingness to go all out for her clients. She is a genuine gem. Le Pavillion would not have become a reality, but merely an unrealisable dream to me, if I did not receive access to capital through SBDC.”

Now that Le Pavillion has received funding from RBC, Ms Johnson added: “It feels awesome to be funded. I can finally watch my vision unfold. It makes it easier having that financial backing. To me this validates all I have put into birthing this dream, with God leading me every step of the way. I am now able to exhale. It has been a long journey, but with God and Shamine, Le Pavillion is born.

“One of our immediate goals for Le Pavillion is to work to create the atmosphere and aura that we want our clients to experience. We intend to provide Grand Bahama with top notch, first-class service that has not been experienced here.”

The SBDC is the product of a tripartite arrangement between the government, through the Ministry of Finance, University of The Bahamas (UB) and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC). The Centre works to guide the development, funding, growth and evolution of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in The Bahamas.